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Not my cup of tea..

*~*Introduction and reason for purchase*~*I've been buying Avon products for as long as I can remember, mainly through a local Rep and also direct from the company during a brief stint as a Rep myself a few years ago. Whilst I find certain Avon products can be hit or miss, I've come to know what works for my skin and what just doesn't agree with it and so stick to certain items. When it comes to their fragrances I've always found these to be adequate enough and whilst I wouldn't normally class them as a 'special' fragrance for evenings for example the majority I have tried have been ideal for daytime wearing.

A school friend mum was an Avon Rep for a while last year and I made a purchase from most of the campaigns, and when she gave up running it early last year she gave me a full sized bottle of Rare Diamonds EDP as a thank you for all the custom and support I'd given her.

I have been using Rare Diamonds on and off recently and feel I can now justify a fair review.

My review will now focus on Rare Diamonds EDP by Avon..

*~*How its described*~*"..Rare Diamonds is an extremely rich, romantic and brilliant perfume, worthy of its name. The layers of beauty and luxury that diamond carries are embodied in this oriental - floral composition, with the sparkling opening that leads to the sophisticated, sensual and creamy notes.."

*~*The fragrance itself*~**Top notes*Plum blossomGuavaPeony.

*Heart notes*GardeniaDiamond orchidSambac jasmine.

*Base notes*Cashmere woodPatchouli flowerCreamy amber.

*~*Price*~*Although I received this as a gift as I've just mentioned, the current RRP is £13 and comes in one size only of 50ml. The fragrance is often on offer, as are most Avon products, and at going to press it is currently on offer at just £7 giving you a reasonable £6 saving.

*~*Packaging*~*The bottle is understatedly exquisite really. It is very minimal in design and really quite a simplistic affair but stands out nevertheless and immediately catches my eye when I look for a perfume to wear amongst my vast collection (don't tell my husband as they are mainly hidden in my wardrobe!).

The bottle starts off on a flat circular base, with the glass bottle gently curving outwards until nearing the neck where it veers in dramatically giving an almost flat appearance and positioned here is a dome shaped lid with a shiny silver metallic edging. The lid alone is enough to grab attention as apart from the metallic edging, directly on top is a decorative arrangement meant to look like cut glass and which is very eye catching especially when it catches the light.

The bottle itself is made from a transparent glass which has a pearly iridescent glow and which again sparkles delicately in the light. Because of the transparency we can also see the contents clearly which in this case the parfum is in a clear water like liquid form.

The bottle is housed in a matte silver/ grey cardboard box with minimal decoration which doesn't do the bottle any justice at all as it's quite dull and pedestrian and think if the box had a metallic sheen to it like the lid of the bottle it would make it much more interesting.. needless to say the box was binned shortly after I was given this!

*~*Availability*~*As this is an Avon product it can be purchased either directly from the company through their online shop @www.avonshop.co.uk but please be aware there is usually a P&P charge unless ordering over a certain amount. As I have never ordered in this way I can't comment on delivery satisfaction etc as I've always bought via a Rep which is the most common way of buying it seems. Avon products can also be picked up on sites such as eBay so its always worth a peruse if trying to hunt down something specific.

*~*My thoughts on wearing Rare Diamonds*~*I was given this bottle as a thank you for placing orders with a school mum friend and generally supporting her whilst she was a Rep for a while. When she presented me with this fragrance it was at the same time that I had just placed my last order with her and included in that order was another of the 'Rare' EDP's - Rare Sapphires. I have recently used the last of the Rare Sapphires fragrance and have to admit it is one of my favourites from the collection so when it came to using Rare Diamonds I was already comparing it having unfairly put Rare sapphires high up on a pedestal.

My mum has always been a fan of the Rare EDPs though I remember trying the Rare Gold many years ago and found it reminded me of cheap hair spray and so stayed away from the entire range as I was and truly put off. It wasn't until trying the Rare Sapphires last year that I realised how unfair I had been in classing all the fragrances the same as I fell in love with the unique scent of Sapphires as it smelled like no other perfume I'd used before.

Rare Diamonds comes housed in an identical looking bottle (barring colour) to the other Rare fragrances and to be honest it just didn't appeal very much to me at all at first. But being free I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, and after an initial spritz to test it out on receiving it, I placed it in my cupboard until I'd finished using Sapphires up completely.

The bottle may look delicate and pretty but it is actually made from fairly thick and sturdy glass which I haven't hesitated in 'throwing' in my bag for when I've required a top up whilst out and about. The lid is quite tight fitting and takes a slight effort to pull off which on one hand is annoying but at the same time reassuring that it wont leak when it is in my bag being 'bashed' about.

Once the lid is removed there is a faint aroma which escapes and is very floral, which at the risk of sounding constantly negative it doesn't have the required drawing power that I look for in a fragrance as I'm not the biggest of floral hearted perfumes and this falls directly into that category.

Underneath the attractive 'glass' lid is small and stout looking nozzle in a shiny and slick looking metal where directly in the centre is a large circular opening but with only the tiniest pin prick of a hole for the liquid to emit via. This isn't too much of a problem however as when the nozzle is pressed the liquid dispenses evenly in a fine mist which covers a remarkably large area when spritzed, and I feel this needs mentioning for when spraying on the neck area as it has a habit of ending up on your face if not held a good distance away as the range is impressively large for such a tiny opening.

The first thing I noticed when I'd spritzed this onto my skin was the somewhat strong and overpowering artificial scent that accompanied it. The fragrance was quite overwhelming and it actually made me cough and so far it wasn't doing anything to win me over..

Luckily the strong scent fades quite quickly - within seconds actually - and leaves in its wake a much more natural and fresher aroma. It is then that the fragrance starts to actually shine through and there's no denying peony is used in the opening notes as it stands out almost immediately. The peony takes over and whilst it is a very pleasing scent in itself it is disappointing that the guava and plum blossom, which are also used, cannot be detected at all.. however I'm no perfume expert and certainly don't claim to be and others that own this EDP may be reading this saying the complete opposite but having used this fragrance on numerous occasions I'm yet to notice anything at first other than that of the peony.

The dry down happens very fast and is in fact a quick affair with no sooner the peony making itself known as the heart notes start to emerge. Again it is a full on floral tribute here with the gardenia fighting its way to the top knocking any other contenders to the bottom of the list and though the peony is still around it is very much pushed to the back of the queue with the gardenia taking over.

Once the fragrance has fully settled on my skin I found it hard to notice any of the base notes and to say that cashmere, patchouli and amber are supposedly featured I really can't say that any of them stood out..

*~*Recommended?*~*Whilst I may have sounded quite pessimistic about this fragrance so far I have to say its not all doom and gloom. I wont lie though this isn't my favourite of the Rare collections though it does have its favourable points. Once applied it does come across as overpowering and even artificial yes, there's no denying that, but it does transform almost instantly into quite a natural floral scent so it appeases itself quickly.

Rare Diamonds is very floral, full on floral to be precise and if you are a fan of this genre of fragrances then this is ideal as it *is* very pretty. Unfortunately for me I am not a floral fan (except for the odd exception) but even I can appreciate the soft balmy scent that Rare Diamonds has to offer.

Once applied the strength does start to wane fairly rapidly and though dwindles a lot compared to its initial application it does maintain a level of strength for a good hour or so. Disappointingly though its doesn't hold this longevity wise and the fragrance fades almost completely within a 2 to 3 hour period depending on how much you applied in the first place. If this was merely an eau de toilette then I could understand it more, but the fact it is an eau de parfum it is a more concentrated form and should realistically last a lot longer with the minimum amount used.

I am slightly torn with this fragrance as on one hand once it settles it offers a light and sweet bouquet but on the other hand it fades so quickly that you do have to carry this about with you as it needs reapplying on a frequent basis to retain a reasonable level of scent.

*~*Overall*~*This is a light floral scented fragrance ad if that's your cup of tea then you will love it - sadly its not the type I would normally wear at all and once this bottle is finished I can't see myself repurchasing another. As a gift it was a lovely thought and I fully appreciated it, but given the choice I wouldn't have opted for this myself. The main let down for me though is not the keen floral element, it is the lagging in the longevity stakes as it goes from super strong to barely there in such a short space of time and if I was buying this - and especially at its full RRP of £13 - then I'd expect much more than it has to offer.

Because it is a gentle scent it works best for the daytime, as its lack of presence doesn't justify it as a reason to wear on an evening at all. Stylish, elegant feminine it is charming in its own way but not for me.

I'm going to give this a middle of the road 3/5 as I feel along with Rare Gold it is one of the weakest of the Rare collection..

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It is OK for the price but don't expect much

I was looking for a cheaper alternative for my favourite perfume by Armani - Diamonds and came across this in an Avon brochure. It is obviously an imitation of the Armani perfume but at a much more affordable price when wanting to use for every day. The fragrance is very nice, not as strong smelling or glamourous as the Armani but for every day use it is want you want. However, it does not last long at all! The Armani perfume I can put on in the morning and still smell it by evening, or put on in the evening and still smell the next day the lasting frangrence is just amazing, I wasn't expecting this from a much cheaper copy but I was expecting at least a few hours of scent which I did not get. The Avon perfumes are regularly on offer, for example buy one get one free or buy two for a cheaper price and they are nice scents, but in my experience not of them last long at all. Ok for if you want to carry round with you all day and have a few sprays every now and then but then this works out false economy as you end up buying more.

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A rare diamond in the rough!

This is a scent brought to us by Avon. It is part of the Rare range. In this range there are three other fragrances available -

GoldPearlsSapphires

~ Why did I buy it? ~

This is another fragrance I did not buy myself but I got it from my step-mum who likes to buy pretty much everything in Avon at some point or another, more so now her niece is a rep!

My step-mum didn't try this out before buying but bought it as she liked the sound and look of it.

When it came she ended up not liking it very much and brought it up to me in a box filled with a varied range of other stuff, including shower curtains!

I do love getting some freebies and this was a great way to test a perfume I probably wouldn't have ever tried otherwise.

~ The bottle ~

Let me start with the bottle which I think is very pretty.

The bottle is of course glass but it has a pearly iridescent like colour to it and on top sits a glamorous looking lid. I say looking as the lid is actually silver plastic with a plastic 'diamond' sitting in the top. Of course I didn't expect it to be a real diamond or this perfume would have a rather hefty price tag!

You are able to see how much liquid is left in the bottle too which is handy for when you may be running low.

Now knowing the original price the bottle is pretty fab for the price!

~ More importantly - The scent ~

As this was given to me I wasn't too worried about the scent and whether I liked it or not as I adore pretty bottles but of course you have to test things out and I was pretty pleased with this.

Initially this did seem a little strong for me but in no time at all the scent faded to a nice fruity, floral hue which I quite enjoyed, there is a nice sparkle of fruity freshness which keeps this light.It does start to get more woody and creamy in the dry down but the freshness is still there to keep me happy!

It isn't a scent I use on a daily basis as I do have other scents that I prefer but I do go back to this now and again.

I can't see myself purchasing this as the bottle seems to be lasting me really well and I have other scents that I would buy before this but as a gift it has been well received by me.

~ Price & Availability ~

Being an Avon product you can buy this online at www.avonshop.co.uk or if you have one, you can get it by ordering through your local rep.

The price is -£13.00 for a 50ml bottle but it is currently on offer for £8.00.

~ Overall ~

This isn't my favourite but there is nothing bad to point out about it really, the only bad point to mention would be that the scent doesn't linger for long, lasting around two maybe three hours on my skin.

It's a reasonably priced perfume in a very pretty bottle. The scent is nothing to be sniffed at (pardon the pun!) it's generally a good perfume.

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Not a patch on the other rare perfumes such as Rare Gold or Rare Pearls

===The Product===

Avon Rare DiamondsComes in silver box with a stylised 'R' decoration.'Drape yourself in Rare Diamonds. A brilliant jewel faceted with sparkling plum blossom, diamond orchid and rich cashmere woods.'Contains 70.4% alcohol denat.50 ml bottle and made in Poland. Dumpy heavy glass bottle.Has a plastic lid the same as the other 'Rare' family of perfumes from Avon.Clear perfume, bottle slightly pearlised and with a clear faceted plastic 'jewel' in the bottle cap.

===Others Perfumes in the 'Rare' Avon Family===

*Rare Gold*Rare Rubies *Rare Pearls*Rare Sapphires*Rare Emeralds.

===Cost===

Full price: £13.00 but now £6.99.

===My Opinion===

Fragrantica state - 'Rare Diamonds is an extremely rich, romantic and brilliant perfume, worthy of its name. The layers of beauty and luxury that diamond carries are embodied in this oriental - floral composition, with the sparkling opening that leads to the sophisticated, sensual and creamy notes.Top notes: plum blossom, guava, peony. Heart: gardenia, diamond orchid, Sambac jasmine. Base: cashmere wood, patchouli flower, creamy amber.'Sounds very impressive doesn't it? Well don't be fooled as it definitely does not live up to its hype.I have used the other Rare perfumes from Avon over the years and most tend to have good staying powers and be very nice - the Rare Gold and Rare Pearls especially.This is a new addition the family of 'Rare' perfumes and has only just come out in the UK.The bottle is the same shape as the rest of the range and it also has a jewel sort of cap like all the others, but this time it has been cut to represent a faceted stone, rather than the cabouchon sort of top the others have.The iridescent bottle and the cut glass (plastic) top are very attractive and are the best thing about this product. When first applied this is a pleasant and sweet sort of perfume and quite feminine - though also quite non-discript. However apart from not having an especially nice fragrance it also does not last either - so it loses out on both counts. I cannot detect any single item in this fragrance but would just say it smells just like any cheap run of the mill floral perfume - the smell would not be too bad but it fades away so quickly it would not be worth using anyway - even if the smell was better.Definitely not up to the standard of the other old favourites and one I would not recommend to anyone - not at full price or even the reduced price.It might be a novel item if you are collecting the whole range of bottles but if you are wanting it for the perfume do not bother.

===Star Rating===

1 star.

===Would I Recommend?===

No.

===Website===

www.avonshop.co.uk

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No real diamonds included!

Flicking through the Avon brochure, I spotted this perfume on offer for around £7.00. There was a 'rub to smell' page and I quite liked the scent on the page.The perfume was launched quite recently and its usual price is £13.00. It is a 50ml eau de parfum.

The bottle is a nice rounded shape and the lid is silver in the shape of a cone and has a large angular clear jewel on the top, which is meant to represent a diamond.My mother is the Avon lady and before ordering this I asked her if it was a real diamond in the lid and she said yes, which was what persuaded me to part with my hard-earned £7.00, but it turns out it is actually plastic so technically I was missold this perfume, but I decided I'd keep it anyway as I liked the scent. ;-)

The perfume is clear, but the bottle has a iridescent shine.

~ Scent ~Avon describe this scent as oriental, floral with sparkling plum blossom and captivating orchid with notes of cashmere woods for sensuous warmth.The top notes are plum blossom, guava and peony.The heart notes are gardenia, diamond orchid, and sambac jasmine.The base notes are cashmere wood, patchouli flower and creamy amber.The perfume opens with the sparkling plum blossom, which really is sparkling. It has a fizziness to it. The perfume blends fruity notes with light fresh florals.The woody notes in this fragrance are quite subtle, but give it warmth.I really like this perfume.I have found that it has good sillage and lasts around 8 hours on my skin, which I am pleased with.I think this scent would suit women of all ages. It smells more expensive than it actually is and it reminds me of nights out.It is an all year round scent and would be fine for both day and night time wear.I would recommend this perfume and would buy it again if mine ran out!